Drugs, alcohol abuse, arson, grevious bodily harm and even an attempted murder – these are just some of the problems that had been causing police in the quiet Devon town of Holsworthy major headaches for the past few years.

The large Victorian houses at 19-22 North Road - known locally as the "green houses" - are owned by three different landlords and divided into 28 flats or bedsits with around 22 residents.

North Road, Holsworthy

The local police team, council and residents all knew something needed to be done about the problems that were occurring there - but the final straw came earlier this month when a man was stabbed 10 times on the front lawn of the property, resulting in an attempted murder investigation.

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Those living at the property, including some families with children, have been moved to temporary accommodation around the region while Torridge District Council finds new permanent housing for them.

In the meantime the houses, which are right in the middle of the town on the A388, are locked shut with their windows boarded over.

But how did such drastic measures come about in a rural Devon market town better known for cattle than crime?

What is a Closure Order?

The closure order posted by police on 19-22 North Road in Holsworthy

Closure Notices and Orders are formal sanctions that allow the police and the council to quickly close premises which are being used, or are likely to be used to commit nuisance or disorder.

A Closure Notice can close premises for up to 48 hours whilst arrangements are made for a formal application to a local Magistrates’ Court for a Closure Order. A Closure Order can keep premises closed for up to 3 months.

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"The problems are usually between the residents who live there, but it still has the effect of making people worried to walk past.

"In the past six weeks we have been called to four serious incidents at the property - two reports of GBH, one of arson with intent to endanger life and an attempted murder that saw a man stabbed 10 times after an argument spilled out on to the front lawn."

Holsworthy Mayor Jon Hutchings has worked closely with the police on the matter and says the problems have been ongoing for more like four years.

He said: "There's been a congregation of people there of a certain demographic. The best place for them wasn't Holsworthy.

Rubbish outside the property

"There were social needs that Holsworthy doesn't have the capability to look after.

"Holsworthy isn't a high-level crime area but around 45% of crime was connected to those four properties in some way."

Insp Kenneally said the police had been considering a closure order on the "green houses" for some time.

He said: "This legislation isn't something we use lightly, but the stabbing really was the tipping point and we'd exhausted all our other options.

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He said: "I'd like to think that after the closure they won't be opened up in the same way. Hopefully the landlords will look at them and manage them differently.

"If people are vetted and they have certain needs that can't be looked after in Holsworthy, perhaps they shouldn't be coming here. I think the majority of people there didn't want to be in Holsworthy, it's just where they ended up.

"I hope they also change the way the properties look so they're not the 'green houses' any more.

"They're very nice houses, back in the old days they were some of the best houses in the town in a good prominent position."

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The vast majority of these reports relate to alleged incidents of violence and sexual offences (66 reports) and antisocial behaviour (37 reports).

Of all the reported crimes between January and April 2018, just four are listed as occurring on or near North Road, though three are also reported as taking place on or near the A388 road which forms part of North Road.